Travel | Leisure | Hospitality | Tourism

The Black Hills and Badlands Tourism Association held their 85th annual conference Wednesday, and looking back on the last fiscal year showed that some wheels have been stuck in the mud.

While tariffs, inflation and other economic impacts have caused some growing pains for the national tourism industry, South Dakota tourism is holding strong.

While several small-town economies rely on tourism in South Dakota, even the state’s largest city, Sioux Falls, is feeling the impact of lower visitor revenue.

The 2025 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally drew the largest crowd in a decade, according to new data released by the state.

Overall traffic through the first few days of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is up from recent years.

Despite consistent visitation in recent years and record-breaking visitor spending, critical South Dakota tourist attractions remain subject to broader concerns as the peak tourist season begins. The most common challenge is finding adequate workforce.

Despite concerns over a tight economy, analysts are expecting South Dakotans to travel more over Memorial Day weekend.

The state of the economy has some tourism officials concerned about the upcoming peak of vacation season. With Memorial Day weekend right around the corner, industry leaders are trying to stay optimistic.

This video, from the SDPB archives, was made by the South Dakota Travel Division of the Department of Highways and features many popular tourist spots in the state.

The first leg of a new hiking and biking trail along Highway 14 will materialize just east of De Smet this summer from the edge of town to the Big Slough immortalized in the "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Organizers hope it eventually grows into a statewide byway.